


Even In Death

by BehindTheRobinsMask



Series: JayDick Flashfic Prompts [11]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Halloween, Horror, M/M, Mild Gore, Resurrection, Temporary Character Death, Witchcraft, jaydick-flashfick:halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 12:33:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21299531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BehindTheRobinsMask/pseuds/BehindTheRobinsMask
Summary: “Now no one can keep us apart,” Dick whispered, embracing Jason from behind, snuggling into his back. “We’ll always be together, just like you said,” he hummed, pressing a cold blade against Jason’s throat. “Even in death.”
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Series: JayDick Flashfic Prompts [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1290467
Comments: 4
Kudos: 104





	Even In Death

_ “I’m not going anywhere, Jason. I promise.” _

For someone who had lived the better part of his life on his own, facing the changing seasons by himself, the thought of being alone now weighed heavy on Jason. And why wouldn’t it? Like a storm, Dick Grayson had entered his life, tearing apart the wall and making a place for himself in Jason’s heart. When the sun set, they lay together in the same bed and when the first light pierced through the darkness, Jason woke up to Dick’s face. 

Jason had always been used to being alone but once he had Dick by his side, the thought of going back to his old life never crossed his mind. 

With Dick, Jason was the happiest he had ever been, finally finding a place in a world where he never felt like he fit in. They knit dreams of tomorrow together, promising each other forever. But then, Dick died.

Happiness was a temporary thing. No one knew that better than Jason. Yet, he had forgotten this important lesson, to lost in Dick’s blue eyes to remember that the only thing permanent in life was pain. The most beautiful of dreams were bound to end and Jason’s ended when his husband’s identity was exposed to the world by the Crime Syndicate, Dick’s broken and bruised body put on display as though he was just entertainment. 

And as Dick took his last breath, there wasn’t a damn thing that Jason could do. 

They buried Dick in the Wayne family tomb, put to rest with the last remains of Bruce’s happiness, the young child who brought light into his dark life now gone. A part of Jason wanted to somehow turn back time, bring back the man he loved so much. If he had a chance to live again then why not Dick? Unfortunately, the rest of the family did not share his sentiment. They loved Dick and missed him, wondering how the whole he had left behind would ever be filled. But they also knew that Dick would never want to come back. 

Despite the circumstances of his death, he had died a hero. Even Damian, who saw a father figure in Dick, had decided to let him go, knowing full well that Dick would be fine, reunited with his parents and friends lost long ago. 

While they accepted their present, willing to let go, Jason couldn’t do the same. After all, he needed Dick as much as he needed the air that filled his lungs. 

It was the wrong thing to do but Jason couldn’t help it. His empty house, the cold side of the bed and the delusions of his own mind were making him lose his sanity. He had no choice but to make the world believe that he was moving forward with life while he searched for ways to bring Dick back, somehow fix every wrong. 

The only way to do this without being suspected was to go through channels that the family couldn’t track down, people who had nothing to do with the Wayne or vigilantes. This proved to be difficult but somehow, Jason managed, coming across a witch. Whether she found him or he found her, Jason wasn’t sure. But with the way she spoke, it was obvious she knew exactly what he wanted. With her face covered with a white mask, a black cloak draped across her body, she gave him the tools he needed to be reunited with his beloved. 

Now, in the Wayne family tomb, staring at the stone engraved Dick’s name, Jason felt like a fool. The woman who had approached him was probably a con artist, looking for thrills in the desperation of others. It was too late to turn back now. Jason had come too far.

Under the guise of needing his family to cope with this difficult time, Jason had returned to Wayne Manor, consumed by guilt because he was lying to people who wanted the best for him. He didn’t break down though, knowing that what he was going to do would bring happiness to everyone, not just him. With Halloween upon them, everyone was out patrolling Gotham and dealing with villains that got a little too creative on this holiday, leaving Jason alone in the manor.

The veil between the world of the living and the dead was weakest during Halloween and Jason had been told that tonight would be the perfect time to perform the spell. So, he made his plans accordingly. 

Pulling a blade from his pocket, Jason made a cut across his palm, flinching at the stinging pain but continuing on as he made a pentagram over Dick’s grave. He then proceeded to light five black candles, placing them on each point of the star. 

“I’m a fool,” he muttered to himself as he pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket, staring down at the spell scribbled onto it.

Taking a deep breath, he chanted the spell once, twice and then, thrice, a part of him ready to give up. But as the weather turned colder, thunder cackling in the distance, hope somehow awakened in Jason. Logically, the weather was simply changing but Jason continued repeating the spell until he had done so ten times. His heart hammered in his chest, sweat covering his skin as he stared at the five candles that were eerily still. And then, in the blink of an eye, just as the witch had told him, the candles went out, all five at the same time.

Jason knew that he was probably experiencing one coincidence after another, deceived by a parlor trick. But now, all he could do was wait. Tomorrow, when he woke up alone, reality would dawn on his once again. Tonight, he would go to bed holding onto hope.

  


It was around 3 in the night when someone settled into the bed beside Jason, awakening him from his slumber. Cold hands draped across his shoulders as someone leaned close to his ear, their breath brushing against his skin, making him shiver.

“Little wing,” a sweet, familiar voice whispered, bringing tears to Jason’s eyes. “I’m home.”

“It’s not that I want to keep you hidden or anything,” Jason said, kneeling in front of Dick who was sitting on the bed. “It’s just that I need time to explain the situation to the family. They won’t be happy that I brought you back and the last thing I want is for them to take you away from me.”

“Why would they be angry?” Dick asked, looking crestfallen because family meant everything to him. “Don’t they love me anymore?”

“They do, Dickie. They love you so much,” Jason answered, squeezing his husband’s hands. “It’s just… they didn’t want you to go through what I went through. The Lazarus pit just leaves behind trauma and anger.”

His own cruel resurrection was something Jason avoided thinking about too much. The scorching waters of the pit, the anger and madness, they always reminded of things better left forgotten, emotions that he no longer wanted to rely on. But if he was to get through Dick, someone who had gone through the same thing as him, albeit the conditions of his resurrection were different, the past needed to be remembered. 

But as he spoke of his own experience, Dick just stared at him with blank eyes, ones that didn’t seem to recall the past. 

“Remember how I died, Dickie?” Jason asked softly, knowing that he had to tread carefully. 

“You… died… Jason… died,” Dick whispered as though he was talking to someone else. 

Since the moment the sun had risen and Jason had finally faced Dick, the spell coming to a happy end, just as he had worried, not everything was right with his husband. A cruel death followed by a sudden awakening was bound to leave a person confused. No one knew that better than Jason. So when Dick didn’t seem the same as before, missing some memories here and there, Jason decided to help him remember 

The sudden bouts of amnesia weren’t the only thing different about Dick though. His appearance had also changed drastically. His once sun-kissed skin was now deathly pale, black veins outlined beneath it and when he opened his eyes, Jason didn’t lose himself in a baby blue sky. Instead, he stared at orbs of gold. But those were some things Jason could get used to, even if Dick didn’t return to his normal appearance with time.

“Died… died… died… died,” Dick repeated, his lifeless eyes staring at nothing until realization dawned on him and tears slipped down his cheeks. “You died,” he gasped, hands reaching out to cup Jason’s face. “You died and left me behind.”

“I’m here now,” Jason assured, placing a kiss on Dick’s forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“But you said that if Bruce and the others found out I was back, they would try to take me away from you.” Dick sniffled.

“It won’t be permanent, Dick.”

“I don’t care. They can’t keep us apart. I won’t let them,” Dick growled, suddenly angry. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jason tried to calm him down. “I’ll always be with you. I promise.” 

“Even in death?”

Jason smiled. “Even in death.”

That one promise, even though unrealistic, made Dick so happy, taking away his anger and brightening his face. If it weren’t for the seconds of the clock ticking away, bringing his confrontation with the family closer, Jason could have just sat there and stared at his husband all day. But he knew he didn’t have a choice. Today, everyone would be at the manor and he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. The longer he put it off, the harder it would get.

“Little wing, we’ll always be together.” Dick smiled, running his fingers through Jason’s hair and pulling him closer for a kiss.

“Always,” Jason promised once again, knowing that he would never want to leave Dick. His bluebird had always been the one for him.

But as their lips met, warm skin against cold, everything changed. Suddenly, Jason’s body felt too heavy for his legs to carry, his knees threatening to buckle. Numbness spread from his chest to his arms like poison in his veins and even though he protested, struggling to get out of Dick’s viper like embrace, he couldn’t move a muscle, slumping forward like a doll on strings. Soon, he hit the ground, no longer able to feel his body and as Dick looked down on him, all he did was smile, whispering the word ‘always’ over and over until darkness claimed Jason. 

  
  


When Jason came to, the sun had set and darkness danced through the ground of Wayne Manor, invading the once brightly lit halls. Even if there was a power failure, by now, Alfred would have found a way to provide some source of light by now. Holding onto his throbbing head, Jason pushed himself to his feet, the sound of his breath the only thing he could hear in the eerie silence. There didn’t seem to be any sign of life around.

Maybe everyone was in the cave. 

Pressing his hand against the wall to guide him, Jason slowly made his way out of the room and into the halls, hoping that soon his eyes would adjust to the dark but they never did. It was almost as if the darkness only existed to blind him. It was trying to hide something that he wasn’t allowed to see. 

Finally, reaching the stairs, Jason made his way down carefully, doing his best not to trip and fall. Step by step he reached the end, his heartbeat slowing as relief filled his veins when he saw light peeking through the door that led into the dining room. In a minute or two, he would finally escape the shadows trying to hold him captive and end the fear plaguing his mind. After all, there was nothing to be afraid of. 

Jason wished that he had listened to his gut, that he had turned around and fled like the voices in his head told him to. As he opened the closed doors of the dining room, he was met with a sight that left him choking, his feet stuck to the ground and eyes unable to look away. 

Tonight, the whole family had gathered for dinner and Alfred had outdone himself. He had set up the table with the finest of silverware to accompany the rare china that was only brought out for extremely special guests. There was one dish each for everyone, their favorite food cooked to comfort their souls and everyone sat around the table with smiles dug into their faces.

Bruce, Tim, Damian, Cass, Steph and Barbara, they were all here, their bodies lifeless and cold, eyes dug out of their sockets. Near the kitchen door stood Alfred, impaled into the wall. Everyone was here. Everyone was gone. And all Jason could do was stare, his thoughts to incoherent to even wonder if he was dreaming.

“Now no one can keep us apart,” Dick whispered, embracing Jason from behind, snuggling into his back. “We’ll always be together, just like you said,” he hummed, pressing a cold blade against Jason’s throat. “Even in death.”

**Author's Note:**

> I thought of putting Court of Owls in the tags since that plays a major role in this fic but I decided not to because this isn't a traditional talon fic. Just a premise where the court is actually made up of witches (necromancers basically). Ehehe sorry uwu


End file.
